The present invention generally relates to ground-engaging apparatus such as that used in excavating and mining operations and, in a representatively illustrated embodiment thereof more particularly provides specially designed connector apparatus for releasably retaining a ground engaging wear member, such as an adapter, on a support member such an excavating bucket lip.
A ground engaging wear member is typically telescoped rearwardly onto an associated support member and releasably retained thereon using a connector structure extending through aligned connector openings formed through overlapping portions of the wear and support members. A commonly utilized form of such connector structure comprises separate wedge and spool members which must be placed in the aligned connector openings. Two primary disadvantages are commonly associated with many of these spool and wedge-type connector structures. First, in such wedge and spool connector structures, after the spool is inserted into the connector openings the wedge must be pounded into place to forcibly engage the spool and thereby lock the spool and wedge in place within the connector openings and prevent the wear member from being forwardly dislodged from the support member. Second, while the initially installed wedge and spool hold the wear member tightly on the support member, the high operational forces typically borne by the wear member/support member assembly may undesirably loosen this interfit with no convenient method of retightening it.
As can be seen from the foregoing, a need exists for improved wear member/support member connector structure which alleviates the above-mentioned disadvantages presented by conventional wedge and spool structures of the types generally described above. It is accordingly a primary goal of the present invention to provide such connector structure.